#AGU20 day 3 featured a plenary on underrepresentation in STEM and events for students and early career scientists

It was another busy day at #AGU20 on Thursday!

We heard from film producer Dr. Kendall Moore about her work exploring the issues of social belonging in STEM and the effect is has on underrepresented people of color in the Thursday plenary. Moore’s powerful address was followed by a candid panel discussion about the experiences of underrepresented minority faculty of color, the drive for inclusion in academia and actions for allies to take to be a part of the solution. If you missed it live, catch it on demand, which will also include some additional discussions among the panelists.

A two-part innovative session showcased the work of diverse and early-career researchers who are making contributions to understanding sub-decadal climate variability in the past with the goal of widening awareness and fostering collaboration among a global array of researchers.

A second innovative session introduced the major themes of the COVID-19 sessions, including some up-to-date observations of the effects of COVID on Earth’s carbon dynamics.

Some recent news coverage of #AGU20 includes:

• Building an Early-Career Researcher Community from the Ground Up. Eos, 3 December. An international group of early-career scientists has developed its own network to virtually moor connections within the peatlands community.
• How Amphibian Die-Offs Worsened Malaria Outbreaks. International Business Times, 3 December. Researchers have found evidence that links the amphibian die-offs in the 1980s to a significant increase in malaria cases. The study shows how a change in the ecosystem can directly impact human health.
• Earth’s future: Ice and snow, or Brazilian beaches? Newshub, 3 December. Scientists have painted two very contrasting pictures of Earth’s climate future – one in which it’s always snowing and much of the land is covered in ice; and the other more like Australia.

Note: not all recordings of live sessions may be available at the time of this post, but they will be. Please check the online platform for updates.